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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 981

Part of General Paper Session (Other abstracts in this session)

Old vs. new Vuosaari: A name-based split of a suburb as a resource for constructing local identities

Authors: Lappalainen, Hanna; Ainiala, Terhi; Vuolteenaho, Jani
Submitted by: Lappalainen, Hanna (University of Helsinki, Finland)

Our paper discusses the ways inhabitants categorize their home district as “old” and “new” parts and the functions of this split in the construction of  urban identities. The division is done by names (e.g. Vanha Vuosaari [Fi. vanha ‘old’], Uusi puoli [Fi. uusi ’new’, puoli ‘side’]) and descriptions of these two parts of the district.

The research area, Vuosaari, is a fitfully urbanized suburb of Helsinki that officially consists of several subdistricts, each distinctive in terms of its age, architecture, and socioeconomic and ethnic characteristics. The protracted urbanization process of the suburb and current social diversity have provided an abundant basis for different types of self- and other-categorizations associated with its subdistricts. In this study, we will concentrate on the interplay of the discursive categorizations (social spatializations) of  Vuosaari’s new and old halves with the place-bound definitions of self-identity (spatial socializations) by its residents. The focus is in the linguistic means by which the categorizations are done.

In descriptions and evaluations of our informants, the ideologically mediated categorizations of Vuosaari are made explicit in a number of ways. Based on discourse analysis, we have identified dichotomous spatialisations of Vuosaari related to its (i) sparsely/densely built spaces; (ii) naturalness/artificiality of architecture; (iii) permanent/dynamic spaces; and (iv) socio-economic and ethnic difference. We will show that  similar types of positive or negative categorizations (e.g. portraying a part of  Vuosaari as “peaceful” or a “slum”) are relatively often attached to both “old” and “new” parts of the suburb, depending on an interviewee’s spatial identification and the ideological frame in which the argument is presented. In addition, the more detailed analysis of the discourse reveals a number of polyphonic and implicit means of spatial stereotyping and identification, used especially in interactional situations in which the participants’ opinions actually or potentially mismatch. In our paper we will concentrate on the opposition sparsely/densely built spaces (i) and illustrate how describing and evaluating both one’s own and the other part of the suburb can be used as a resource for indicating one’s belonging or not-belonging to certain categories (e.g. modern citizens). 

The data have been collected in two research projects (“Transformation of the onomastic landscape in the sociolinguistically diversifying neighborhoods of Helsinki” and “Helsinki Finnish: diversity, social identity and linguistic attitudes in an urban context”; both collaboratively organized by Institute for the Languages of Finland and University of Helsinki). The common focus of the projects is the language use in Vuosaari from a sociolinguistic perspective. The primary sources of this case study consist of thematic interviews of 63 inhabitants with both long and short living history in Vuosaari. In addition to the native Finns, some of the informants have an immigrant background. In our analysis, we have paid attention both to the spontaneous uses of names and places and metalinguistic discussions in which the informants were asked to reflect their preferences when speaking about different parts of the focus area.